NEW NURSES TOLD 'GET ON YOUR BIKES'

Campaigners say only half of qualified students got jobs | SNP criticised as patients suffer through staff shortage

- VIVIENNE AITKEN

NURSES have lifted the lid on the staffing crisis in our hospitals as newly qualified staff are told there are no jobs – and they should go to England for work.

Last week the Daily Record told how none of the newly qualified paediatric nurses from Glasgow’s Caledonian University had been given jobs within NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.

But now it is claimed this applies across the board.

Fewer than half of all the graduating nurses have been found jobs within Glasgow.

The situation has incensed both the students and under pressure nursing staff.

Campaign group NH S Workers United in Scotland has been swamped with messages from newly qualified nurses and existing nurses and are urging unions to ballot members for strike action over staffing issues.

Campaigner Brenda Eadie said: “As a campaign group we said four years ago the NHS was on its knees. But now it is the end. This is the last straw, knowing there are newly qualified nurses who can’t get jobs while the existing staff are struggling. could and this is our one last fight before it is gone. We need to ballot to strike for staff and we need to stand strong together.

“We have had been contacted by 50 newly qualified nurses, many of whom have told us they have been told to look for jobs in England as there are none in NHS GGC.